Abigail Adams Remember the Ladies – 1776

Future first lady Abigail Adams wrote numerous letters to her husband John Adams appealing to him to “remember the ladies” when they were drafting the crucial Declaration of Independence. She considered the Declaration a possible turning point in American history to depart from the old practices of male dominance. Due to the letters advocating for equality between men and women, people consider her to be among the first to fight for women’s rights.

Remember the Ladies Letter

The letters of Abigail Adams to her husband were from the point of view of a woman and a wife. She was advocating that men should treat women as peers rather than slaves. Even though many people nowadays advocate for women’s rights, I feel that Abigail’s letters bring out a lot of valid points concerning the issue. In her letter, she says that men should “remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than their ancestors.” Based on the letters, I think that Abigail wanted men to avoid the ways of suppressing other people just as the British colonizers did to the colonists who had no representation. Since men have powers, they should use them for the happiness of women. If women did not get the rights they deserved and be included in the Declaration of Independence, then they “will not be bound by any Laws in which they have no voice or representation.”

 

Abigail Adams Significance

Abigail Adams was not afraid to air her thoughts on the issue of inequality between men and women’s rights. The purpose of her letters was to attempt to convince John Adams’s decisions on the rights of women. She had a vested interest in fighting for equal rights between men and women hence the need for social equality. Though she brought out valid points, it was unfortunate that the women were not included in the Declaration of Independence.

Works Cited

“Adams, “Remember The Ladies” (1776)”. History.hanover.edu. Web. 8 Oct. 2016.